Method of making triglyceride macromonomers

ABSTRACT

A method of making a polymerisable ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer comprising the steps of: i) providing a chosen unsaturated non-mineral oil or a mixture of unsaturated non-mineral oils having a first blend of triglycerides, ii) treating the mixture of oils with a transesterification catalyst to produce a second blend of triglycerides different to the first, iii) reacting the second blend of triglycerides with an enophile having an acid, ester or anhydride moiety to form an adduct, iv) reacting the adduct with an ethylencially unsaturated monomer having a moiety reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile to form an intermediate, v) reacting the intermediate of step (iv) with a chain extender having at least two moieties reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile to form the ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase of PCT/EP2008/067578 filed on Dec. 16, 2008, and claims the benefit of GB Application No. 0724721.6, filed on Dec. 19,2007.

This invention relates to a method of making ethylenically unsaturated macromonomers derived from transesterified unsaturated non-mineral oils-especially plant and vegetable oils; to the macromonomers; polymers-particularly in the form of aqueous dispersions derived from them and finally adhesives, coatings, especially architectural coatings, comprising the polymers.

By architectural coatings is meant paints, varnishes and woodstains, especially for use on the interior and exterior of structures and buildings such as houses, and also coatings for use in the garden such as fence paints and also metal used on railings.

There is increasing awareness of the need to use renewable resources in industry.

For many years, the main feedstock for industry, especially the chemical industry, has been fossil feedstock, either in the form of petroleum or coal. Whilst economists, mining and oil exploration experts may argue about the lifetime of known and yet to be discovered fossil feedstock reserves, it is indisputable that, in time, those reserves will inevitably be exhausted and even prior to that, become too expensive to be of any use as a feedstock in all but the most specialised applications.

Furthermore, converting this fossil feedstock into useful material for industry requires energy, releasing carbon dioxide and contributing to global warming. In addition, at the end of the useful life of the material, still more carbon dioxide is released, further adding to global warming.

Coatings typically comprise a mixture of particulate inorganic material and organic material. The inorganic material is usually a mixture of pigments and fillers and/or extenders. The pigments give colour to the paint and the fillers and extenders provide other properties, such as hardness, to the paint film. The organic material largely comprises a binder, the role of which, as the name suggests, is to bind any particulate matter together. It also provides adhesion to the surface to which the coating is applied.

The binders are usually high molecular weight polymers derived from monomers obtained by refining and further processing of fossil feedstock. The polymers are often produced in the form of aqueous dispersions of polymer microparticles referred to as latex. For simplicity it should be understood that the term polymer is used here to include homopolymers, copolymers, terpolymers and so on.

The manufacture and use of such polymer binders consumes some of the worlds non-renewable resources and in the process produces carbon dioxide.

Thus there is a need for polymer binders that are based, at least in part, on renewable feedstock such as that obtained from plant and/or animal material.

Oils are such a natural and renewable feedstock obtainable from various plants and animals, including fish. In the case of plants, it is generally the fruit that yields the oil. The term oil as used here, excludes mineral oils obtained form fossil feedstock such as petroleum and coal.

These oils are largely composed of a mixture of triglycerides (ie tri-esters of glycerol) characterised by the fatty acids portion. For example, the fatty acids component of the triglycerides making up palm oil, linseed oil and soya oil are shown below and have the following approximate composition by weight %:

Palm oil Linseed oil Soya oil Palmitic acid (C₁₆, 0) 44 6 10 Stearic acid (C₁₈, 0) 4.5 2.5 4 Arachidic (C₂₀, 0) 0 0.5 0 Oleic acid (C₁₈, 1) 40 19 23 Linoleic (C₁₈, 2) 10 24.1 51 Linolenic (C₁₈, 3) 0 47.4 7 Other 1.5 0.5 5 Saturated 48.5 9 14 Unsaturated (total) 50.0 90.5 81 Unsaturated (>1) 10.0 71.5 58 Iodine value 44-54 155-205 120-141

The subscript refers to the carbon chain length of the fatty acid and 0, 1 or 2 indicates the number of ethylenically unsaturated bonds in the fatty acid.

Such unsaturated oils can be classified as drying, non-drying or semi-drying oils. What is meant by such terminology is the extent to which they autoxidise at normal temperatures to form a hard, dry film. Autoxidation is the process by which unsaturated oils absorb oxygen from the atmosphere to form in-situ hydroperoxides which then decompose to produce free radicals causing the oils to dry. The more unsaturated bonds the oil has, the more rapidly and completely it will dry. Similarly, oils with at least two unsaturated bonds per triglyceride, especially when conjugated, autoxidise even more readily. Nature, however, rarely produces conjugated unsaturation.

The extent of the unsaturation is measured by the iodine value. It is generally regarded that non-drying oils have iodine values of less than 100, semi-drying oils from 100 to 140 and drying oils over 140 g of iodine per 100 g of oil. A more extensive list of iodine values can be found on pages 34 and 35 of The Chemistry of Organic Film Formers by D. H. Solomon, published by John Wiley and Sons in 1967, which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The oils can be characterised according to the number of double bonds per triglyceride type. We have found that a typical sample of palm oil, for example, has the following distribution, expressed on a weight % basis.

-   5 double bonds per triglyceride <1 -   4 double bonds per triglyceride ca 10 -   3 double bonds per triglyceride ca 5 to 10 -   2 double bonds per triglyceride ca 35 -   1 double bonds per triglyceride ca 35 to 40 -   0 double bonds per triglyceride ca 10

Thus whilst approximately 48.5% of the fatty acids in the oil are palmitic or stearic and thus saturated, nevertheless only about 10% of the triglycerides will be composed of fatty acids where all three are saturated, and therefore free of double bonds. This saturated portion of the palm oil is unreactive to enophile and dienophiles.

U.S. 20050203246 discloses monomer formed by reacting unsaturated vegetable oils (specifically sunflower oil, linseed oil or soya bean oil) with an enophile or dienophile having an acid, ester or anhydride functionality, to form a derivative followed by reacting the derivative with a suitable hydroxyl, amine, thiol, oxirane or other functional vinyl monomer to form an ethylenically unsaturated triglyceride monomer. The weight average molecular weight of such monomers is approximately 1000 Daltons. It also discloses polymer latices containing up to 6% by weight of the monomer calculated on the polymer solids

However, we have found that dried films of latices derived from monomer mixtures comprising such triglyceride monomer, and paints based on them, tend to be soft. They also tend to exude oily material, which appears on the surface, over time.

In addition, architectural coatings using binders comprising such monomers, especially those used on interior surfaces, tend to have a yellow hue. This makes it difficult to formulate bright whites and the pastel colours.

There are further problems with the prior art. Being natural products, the composition of the oils varies significantly from year to year, the geographic location of the source and the degree of any further processing that may be carried out on the oil. Blending oils from different sources and even of different types not only produce a more consistent feedstock, but also enables oils having a triglyceride composition not found in nature to be produced.

However, even such blends are not ideal, because they consist of a complex mixture of triglycerides having saturated and mono and poly-unsaturated fatty acid portions. This inevitably results in a distribution of species being formed when the oils are subsequently reacted with polyfunctional material.

These problems of the known prior art severely limits the utility of these known triglyceride monomers made by known methods.

We have now developed a new method of making macromonomer based on unsaturated non-mineral oils obtained from transesterified plant or animal material which can be used in much higher amounts in polymer binders which overcome the aforementioned problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of making a polymerisable ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer comprising the steps of

-   i) providing a chosen unsaturated non-mineral oil or mixture of     unsaturated non-mineral oils having a first blend of triglycerides -   ii) treating the mixture of oils with a transesterification catalyst     to produce a second blend of triglycerides different to the first -   iii) reacting the second blend of triglycerides with an enophile     having an acid, ester or anhydride moiety to form an adduct -   iv)reacting the adduct with an ethylencially unsaturated monomer     having a moiety reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of     the enophile to form an intermediate -   v)reacting the intermediate of step iv) with a chain extender having     at least two moieties reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride     moiety of the enophile to form the ethylenically unsaturated     macromonomer.

The macromonomer is considered to be polymerisable through the ethylenic unsaturation provided by the monomer in step iv) rather than through any unreacted unsaturation in the fatty acid chains of the triglycerides comprising the oil. Normally, the polymerisable ethylenic unsaturation of the macromonomer is dependent from the fatty acid chain, usually indirectly, rather than exists in the backbone of the chain.

Preferably the weight average molecular weight, Mw, of the macromonomer is 1000 to 50000 Daltons, more preferably from 1500 to 40000, still more preferably from 2000 to 40000, yet more preferably from 5000 to 30000 Daltons, even more preferably from 10000 to 25000 Daltons and most preferably form 19000 to 23000 Daltons. The number average molecular, Mn is preferably from 1000 to 5000 Daltons, more preferably from 1000 to 4000, even more preferably from 1000 to 3000 and most preferably from 1500 to 3000 Daltons.

For simplicity, the term enophile is used to include dienophile.

Enophiles have electron withdrawing moieties, such as ester, acid, cyanide and anhydride. Preferably the enophile is an electrophillic alkene or alkyne. Even more preferably is selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride, fumaric acid, itaconic anhydride, acrylic acid and maleate esters and most preferably it is selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride and fumaric acid.

By non-mineral oil is meant oil, comprising triglycerides, that has been obtained directly from plant or animal matter, including fish, rather than from a fossil feedstock.

Preferably, at least 80% by weight of the total triglycerides making up the oil contain one or more double bonds, more preferably 85 to 100%, still more preferably 90 to 100%, yet more preferably 95 to 100% and most preferably 100%. The amount of fully saturated triglycerides is preferably kept as low as possible as such triglycerides are unreactive to the enophile. The oily exudate seen on the surface of dried latex and paint films is thought to be this unreacted saturated material.

Transesterifying the oil or mixture of oils tends to randomise the fatty acid portions of the triglycerides making up the oil. This is a consequence of the fatty acid portions between and within triglycerides being rearranged. This produces oils having new mixtures of triglycerides and also allows the inevitable variation in the triglyceride composition to be evened out.

Transesterification can be carried out with a single oil, resulting in randomisation of the fatty acid composition of the triglycerides. Or it may be performed with a mixture, comprising two or more oils. Careful choice of the oil mixture to be transesterified allows the triglyceride composition to be controlled.

An additional benefit of transesterification is that by blending oils and transesterifying the resulting mixture, a more consistent feedstock can be produced for further reaction according to the invention.

Optionally, the macromonomer is diluted with a suitable solvent, preferably one that is also a polymerisable monomer in a final step. This ensures that the macromonomer does not solidify on cooling down from the reaction temperature making it easier to handle. Suitable such monomers which are also effective solvents include 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate and styrene.

Transesterification may be performed in the presence of a suitable catalyst at about 60 to 80° C. for approximately half an hour. Suitable catalysts include alkali metal alkoxides, in particular sodium methoxide, sodium ethoxide, sodium isopropxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sulphated zirconia, tungstated zirconia, hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, boron trifluoride, sodium ethylate, stannium hydroxide, potassium glycerolate, sodium methylate and lipases. Preferably, from 0.05 to 1.5% by weight of the catalyst is used calculated on the total amount of oil to be transesterified, more preferably from 0.05 to 1.0%, still more preferably from 0.1 to 0.5% and most preferably from 0.1 to 0.3%. Preferably, sodium methoxide is used as this is easily removed following the reaction. When sodium methoxide is used as the catalyst it is preferred to dry the oil and/or oils prior to the transesterification step in order to prevent the hydrolysis of the sodium methoxide. Preferably, the oil used to manufacture the macromonomer is derived from such transesterified oils.

Plant oils are preferred as their production consumes carbon dioxide rather than producing it.

Preferably the iodine value of the oil is less than 200, more preferably between 30 and 200 as the initial colour of the polymer film derived from it is less yellow. Even more preferably the iodine value is from 50 to 200, yet more preferably between 70 and 170, and most preferably from 100 to 160.

It is preferable to keep the proportion of oil having iodine value greater than 140 g/100 g of oil to less than 80%, more preferably less than 70% and most preferably less than 60% of the mixture calculated on a weight basis.

The proportion of the fatty acid component (of the triglycerides in the oil) having more than one double bond, is preferably less than 15%, more preferably from 0.5 to 15%, even more preferably from 1 to 12%, still more preferably from 1 to 10% and yet more preferably from 2 to 10% and most preferably from 5 to 10% by weight. It is such polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially having conjugated double bonds, which produce yellowing in dried paint films.

Suitable oils for use in the invention include, Palm oil, Soya bean oil, Cotton seed oil, Kapok oil, Mustard oil, Olive oil, Peanut oil, Rapeseed oil, Sesame oil and hydroxyl functional Castor oil. Preferably the oils for use in the invention are selected from the group consisting of Palm oil, Soya bean oil, hydrogenated Soya bean oil-also known as Soya wax, Cotton seed oil, Kapok oil, Mustard oil, Olive oil, Peanut oil, Rapeseed oil, Sesame oil, Corn oil, Safflower oil, Sunflower oil and Tall oil.

They may be used alone or blended with others.

Palm oil, Safflower oil and Soya bean oil are especially useful oils in the invention as the macromonomers derived from them following transesterification, have good balance of reactivity and resistance to yellowing, when formulated into a binder, especially a polymer latex, for use in a coating composition.

All vegetable oils are a complex mixture of species. Nevertheless, average molecular weights are generally quoted in the region of 800 to 900 Daltons. Palm oil, for example is 848 Daltons.

Preferably, the moiety on the ethylenically unsaturated monomer, reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile is a hydroxyl, amino or epoxide. Even more preferably, there is only one such moiety on the monomer.

Preferably the ethylenically unsaturated monomer reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile is selected from the group comprising hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxyl propyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxyl iso propyl methacrylate, hydroxyl butyl (meth)acrylate, allyl alcohol, glycerol methacrylate, glycidyl (meth)acrylate, allyl amine, tert-butyl aminoethyl methacrylate. More preferred are hydroxy ethyl acrylate and hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate and most preferred is hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate.

The reaction of the ethylencially unsaturated monomer (step iv of the invention) is preferably carried out in the presence of a polymerisation inhibitor in order to prevent the monomer from homopolymerising. A suitable such inhibitor is phenothiazine.

Preferably the chain extender material comprises hydroxyl, amine, oxirane or isocyanate moieties. More preferably, it comprises at least two moieties capable of reacting with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile. Nevertheless, it is possible that a trifunctional material is acceptable if one of the moieties is much slower to react than the other two. For example, this is thought to be the case when glycerol is used, where the secondary hydroxyl group is less reactive than the two primary hydroxyl groups. Preferably, the chain extender material is glycerol as it is readily obtained from sustainable plant material.

The mole ratio of oil:enophile is preferably less than or equal to 1, more preferably from 0.3 to 1.0, even more preferably from 0.50 to 1.00, still more preferably from 0.55 to 0.75 and most preferably from 0.60 to 0.70. The resulting excess of enophile helps to reduce the amount of unreacted oil thereby limiting the tendency to produce exudate.

The mole ratio of oil:chain extender is preferably greater than 1.8, more preferably from 1.8 to 10.0, even more preferably from 2.0 to 7.5, still more preferably from 2.5 to 5 and most preferably from 3.0 to 3.5.

The mole ratio of unsaturated monomer:oil is preferably less than 1:1, more preferably it is between 0.25:1 and 1:1, even more preferably from 0.3:1 to 0.9:1, yet more preferably from 0.5:1 and 0.85:1 and most preferably from 0.6:1 to 0.85:1. At these ratios, polymer films derived from such macromonomers tend to be harder than films derived from macromonomers of higher unsaturated monomer content. Furthermore, the lower level of unsaturated monomer relative to the oil results in an increased content of renewable resource in the macromonomer and, thus, the final coating, which is environmentally beneficial. Finally, due to the high energy content required to produce the ethylenically unsaturated monomer, a significant cost saving is also realised.

The mole ratio of oil:enophile:unsaturated monomer:chain extender is preferably 1.00:1.50:0.75:0.30. Even more preferably the oil is Soya bean oil, the enophile is maleic anhydride, the unsaturated monomer is hydroxyl ethyl (meth)acrylate—most preferably hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate, and the chain extender is glycerol.

The reaction of the oil with the enophile is thought to produce an adduct of the triglycerides comprising the oil, and the enophile. The adduct having an acid, ester or anhydride moiety reacts with a suitable functional moiety on the ethylenically unsaturated monomer to form an intermediate polymerisable triglyceride monomer. Further reaction with a chain extender material, increases the molecular weight of the intermediate thereby ensuring that the proportion of triglyceride not functionalised with the unsaturated monomer iv) is kept to a minimum. This reduces the tendency for exudation from polymers comprising such monomers.

As the macromonomer is the product of an oil comprising a mixture of triglycerides, some of which have a functionality greater than one, with other reactants also having functionality greater than one, the macromonomer is thought to be a complex mixture of species.

In practice, the reaction of the triglycerides with the enophile to form the adduct is further complicated because the triglycerides (of the oil) themselves can have differing degrees of unsaturation (ie mono-, di- or tri-ene).

The degree of conjugation of any unsaturation greater than one; that is di- and tri-enes, also affects the reaction mechanism by which the adduct is produced. For enes and unconjugated dienes, the preferred reaction is thought to be the Alder-ene reaction and for conjugated dienes, the preferred reaction is the Diels-Alder reaction.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a simplified and idealised diagrammatic scheme for the formation of one of the species that make up the macromonomer of the invention. In this case the enophile is maleic anhydride; the unsaturated monomer is hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate and the chain extender is glycerol.

FIG. 1 shows a reaction scheme of a triglyceride (1) reacting with maleic anhydride and hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate. The triglyceride comprises a saturated fatty acid-palmitic acid, a mono-unsaturated fatty acid-oleic acid and an unconjugated diene fatty acid-linoleic acid. In the presence of sufficient iodine, any unconjugated diene becomes conjugated as shown in structure (2). This triglyceride comprising a conjugated diene fatty acid reacts with the maleic anhydride via the Diels-Alder reaction to form the adduct containing the cyclic hexene structure depicted in (3). Furthermore, in some circumstances any non-conjugated, unsaturated double bond will react with the maleic anhydride via the Alder-ene reaction. For simplicity, we show both the mono-unsaturated and the diene reacted with the maleic anhydride on the same triglyceride molecule. The extent to which this happens, if at all, will depend on the relative molar amounts of the enophile and triglycerides of the oil; and the level of unsatuaration and conjugation.

It is thought that the adduct (3) reacts with the hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate to form a structure depicted as (4).

FIG. 2 shows the reaction of structure 4 with glycerol to form one of the species (5) of the macromonomer.

Preferably the molecular weight of the resulting macromonomer is at least twice that of the triglyceride monomer.

The oil is represented by an idealised triglyceride structure (1) comprising palmitic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a polymerisable ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer being the reaction product of

-   -   i) an adduct formed from the reaction of an unsaturated         non-mineral oil reacted with an enophile having an acid, ester         or anhydride moiety and     -   ii) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a moiety         reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the         enophile and     -   iii) a chain extender material having at least two moieties         reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the         enophile     -   wherein the unsaturated non-mineral oil is a mixture of         triglycerides produced by transesterification.

Preferably, the transesterification takes place above 50° C., more preferably from 60 to 80° C. and most preferably about 70° C.

The reaction of step i) is preferably carried out above180° C., more preferably from 200 to 300° C. and most preferably from 200 to 250° C.

Where the fatty acid component of the triglycerides comprising the oil contains less than 30% of fatty acids having conjugated double bonds, it is preferred to heat the oil in the presence of iodine at a temperature of from 80 to 150° C., more preferably from 80 to 120° C., even more preferably from 90 to 110° C. and most preferably 100° C. The presence of the iodine serves to convert the unconjugated double bonds, for example of linoleic acid, to conjugated double bonds which are thus able to react with the enophile and/or dienophile, for example maleic anhydride, via the preferred Diels Alder reaction. Preferably the ratio of iodine:oil is from 0.002:1 to 0.010:1 calculated on a molar basis. On a weight basis this is equivalent to about 0.0006:1 to 0.003:1 depending on the molecular weight of the oil. We have found that macromonomer produced including this step produces less yellowing in a polymer binder comprising the macromonomer than binder derived from macromonomer produced without the iodine step. This is even more evident when such binders are used to make pastel or white paint.

Depending on the choice of unsaturated oil, the resultant neat macromonomer can vary in appearance at room temperature from a reasonably fluid liquid to a greasy or even waxy consistency. The oils of low iodine value, say less than 100, tend to be soft solids since they are more saturated than the higher iodine value oils.

In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided an addition polymer comprising the macromonomer as hereinbefore described. Preferably the macromonomer is polymerised with other ethylenically unsaturated monomers. Examples of suitable such ethylenically unsaturated monomers include (meth)acrylic acid esters, amides, and nitriles, vinyl monomers and vinyl esters.

It is preferred that the polymer comprises more than 6 wt % of the macromonomer of the invention, more preferably from 6 to 80 wt %, even more preferably from 15 to 75 wt % and most preferably from 20 to 60 wt %.

Using the nomenclature of (meth)acrylate to represent both acrylate and methacrylate, examples of suitable other acrylic acid esters and methacrylic acid esters are alkyl esters, preferably methyl (meth)acrylate, ethyl (meth)acrylate, propyl (meth)acrylate, butyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethyl hexyl (meth)acrylate and alkoxy poly(oxyethylene) (meth)acrylate. Small amounts of methacrylic acid and/or acrylic acid may also be used. Hydroxy functional monomers such as hydroxy ethyl (meth)acrylate and hydroxy isopropyl (meth)acrylate may be included also. Examples of suitable vinyl monomers include styrene and alpha methyl styrene, vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate, vinyl acetate and vinyl versatate. Preferably the addition polymer is derived from the esters of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and optionally styrene and/or its derivatives. More preferably, the other monomers are styrene and 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate.

The glass transition temperature, or Tg, of the polymer comprising the macromonomer of the invention may be varied by copolymerising monomers of appropriate Tg. In this way copolymers which are hard, soft or of intermediate Tg can be made, which can produce a wide range of physical film properties such as tack (or stickiness), hardness and extensibility.

Preferably the Tg of the polymer is from −70 to 185° C., more preferably from −20 to 120° C. More preferably the polymer is suitable for use as a binder in coatings especially in architectural coating compositions. For such binder polymer dispersions the preferred range is from −20 to 120° C., yet more preferably from −15 to 60° C., even more preferably from −10 to 25° C. and most preferably from −10 to 10° C. as this produces a more durable paint which is better resistant to knocks and scuffs.

More preferably, the polymer is in the form of an aqueous composition and still more preferably is an aqueous dispersion of polymer microparticles. By aqueous is meant that at least 50% by weight of the carrier liquid is water, more preferably more than 75% and most preferably the carrier liquid is water.

Preferably the polymer microparticles have a mean diameter of from 0.05 to 2 microns, more preferably from 0.05 to 1.0 microns, still more preferably from 0.05 to 1.0 microns and most preferably from 0.05 to 0.3 microns.

Optionally, the microparticles are of the core-shell type having a core polymer composition different from the shell polymer composition. Preferably, the core:shell ratio calculated on a weight basis is from 1:8 to 2:1, more preferably from 1:2.

The ethylenically unsaturated monomers are caused to copolymerise by heating the monomer, in a carrier liquid-preferably water, containing polymerisation initiators, preferably to a temperature of from 30° C. to 150° C., preferably from 40° C. to 80° C. More preferably the polymerisation process used is an aqueous emulsion polymerisation process. In such a case the maximum polymerisation temperature should not exceed 98° C. Even more preferably, where redox initiator combinations are used, the preferred polymerisation temperature is from 20° C. to 80° C. and most preferably from 30° C. to 70° C.

Suitable emulsion polymerisation initiators include oxidants, for example, peroxides such as tertiary butyl hydroperoxide, hydrogen peroxide and cumene hydroperoxide; persulphates such as potassium persulphate and ammonium persulphate; azo types such as 4,4′ azobis (4-cyanopentanoic acid). Preferably from 0.002% by weight to 5% by weight of the initiator is used, calculated on the amount of ethylenically unsaturated monomers, more preferably from 0.05 to 2% and most preferably from 0.1 to 1%.

Reductants may be used in combination with the oxidant to form so called redox couples. This enables the polymerisation to be run at lower temperature than when relying on thermal decomposition alone. Suitable examples of such oxidants include sodium ascorbate, sodium metabisulphite and sodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate. Suitable examples of redox couples include tertiary butyl hydroperoxide with ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate or sodium metabisulphite or sodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate; hydrogen peroxide with ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate or sodium metabisulphite or sodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate; cumene hydroperoxide with ascorbic acid sodium ascorbate or sodium metabisulphite or sodium formaldehyde sulphoxylate. More preferred is the redox couple tertiary butyl hydroperoxide with sodium ascorbate.

Optionally, metal salts such as copper, chromium and iron salts can be added when redox pairs are used. Such metals, usually in the form of water soluble salts, for example iron(II) sulphate, are especially useful where the natural level of dissolved metals in the reaction mixture are low. This can occur when a glass-lined reactor is used or a metal chelating agent is present. The presence of the added metal salts ensures that the redox system works effectively. Preferably the level of added metal salt is kept to a minimum to avoid discolouration of the dispersion itself and any coatings derived from it. This is generally less of a problem for adhesives.

The preferred initiator system is the redox combination of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and ascorbic acid, the latter optionally in the form of sodium ascorbate. Such redox combinations allow the polymerisation to be carried out or around ambient temperature such as from 30 to 55° C.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a process of producing an aqueous dispersion of polymer microparticles derived from a monomer mixture comprising the macromonomer and other ethylenically unsaturated monomers, as hereinbefore described.

Preferably the process comprises the steps of

-   -   i) making an emulsion of ethylenically unsaturated monomers         comprising the macromonomer and other monomers, in aqueous         medium, preferably water, containing surfactant     -   ii) charging from 5 to 25% by weight of the monomer emulsion to         a polymerisation vessel and causing it to polymerise to form         polymer microparticles of mean particle diameter of from 0.05 to         0.5 microns     -   iii) feeding the remaining monomer emulsion of step i) to the         vessel in the presence of the microparticles of step ii) and         causing it to polymerise and grow them to form the final         microparticles of mean particle diameter of from 0.05 to 2.0         microns.

More preferably, the process comprises the steps of

-   -   i) making an aqueous emulsion comprising the macromonomer and no         other monomer     -   ii) charging the emulsion to a polymerisation vessel and adding         at least some of a mixture of neat comonomers to the vessel and         causing the combination of comonomers and macromonomer to         polymerise to form polymer microparticles of mean particle         diameter of from 0.05 to 2 microns     -   iii) feeding a neat mixture of the remaining comonomers to the         vessel in the presence of the microparticles of step ii) and         causing it to polymerise and grow them to form the final         microparticles.

This has the advantage that there is no need to make an aqueous emulsion of the macromonomer and the other ethylenically unsaturated monomers thereby saving time. Furthermore, it ensures that the macromonomer of the invention is polymerised into the particles.

In a yet further aspect of the invention there is provided a coating composition comprising the addition polymer as hereinbefore described. Preferably, the coating is aqueous. More preferably the coating is an architectural paint for use on the interior and exterior surfaces of structures such as found in homes, offices and gardens. Even more preferably, the paint is of non-Newtonian rheology, even more preferably, thixotropic rheology.

The coating composition may also contain ingredients selected from the group consisting pigments, fillers, waxes, extenders, rheological modifiers, dispersants, anti-foams, plasticisers, crosslinking agents, flow aids and biocides.

Materials Used in the Examples

RD Palm Oil is available from Hampshire Commodities, Fleet, Hampshire, UK, GU51 3SR.

Sunflower oil is available from Kerfoot, The Olive House, Standard Way Industrial Estate, North Allerton, North Yorkshire, England.

Agripure AP-660 (hydrogenated Soya bean oil-fatty acid composition mainly stearic acid) available from Cargill Inc, North America

tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) is available from Akzo-Nobel

Disponil A4066 is available from Henkel

Tests

Molecular weight was determined by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) using a Waters 150 CV fitted with a refractive index detector. The columns used were 2×30 cm PLGel Mix D GPC columns at a temperature of 35° C. Polystyrene (ex. Polymer Laboratories) was used as the standard. The test material was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran at a concentration of 1 mg cm⁻³. The flow rate was 1 cm³ min⁻¹.

Examples of the invention will now be described.

Transesterified Oil-TO 1

A mixture of 360 g of Sunflower oil and 240 g of hydrogenated Soya wax was heated to 80° C. in a rotary evaporator flask under a vacuum of 9 mbar for 30 minutes.

The dried oil was transferred from the evaporator to a 3-necked, 1 liter round bottomed flask fitted with a water condenser, a stirrer and source of nitrogen. The mixture was heated to 70° C. under a nitrogen blanket and once on temperature 1.2 g of sodium methoxide was added and the reaction allowed to proceed for 30 minutes. After this time 6 g of deionised water was added to the flask and stirred for 5 minutes, following which 2 g of Kieselguhr filter aid was added. The resulting mixture was passed at 70° C. through a fine glass filter funnel. The starting and final oil mixture had the following mixture of triglyceride.

Table 1 shows the fatty acid composition of the triglycerides making up the starting sunflower oil and hydrogenated soya bean oil and the final transesterified mixture of TO 1 and TO 2. The composition was determined using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF).

TABLE 1 Hydroge- Transesterified Transesterified Triglyceride Sunflower nated Soya oil TO 1 oil TO 2 composition oil Bean oil 60:40^(#) 70:30^(#) OOO 5.7 0 12.9 8.3 LOO 14.9 0 18.3 16.2 LLO 27.3 0 7.2 17.5 LLL 25.4 0 5.9 15.7 LLLe 0.2 0 0 0 LLeLe 0 0 0.1 0 OOP 2.1 0 7.5 5.1 LOP 5.3 0 3.7 4.4 LLP 9.0 0 4.8 7.1 LLeP 0.4 0 0 0 LeLeP 0 0 0 0 OOS 1.1 0.1 14.6 12.2 OSP 0.2 0 2.7 1.8 OSS 0 0.3 5.1 3.7 OPP 0.2 0 0.5 0.3 LPP 0.9 0 1.1 1.0 SSS 0 59.9 2.8 1.9 PPP 0 0.5 0.2 0.2 SSP 0 30.5 2.0 1.7 SPP 0 4.8 0.7 0.5 Mono and 7.3 3.9 9.9 disubstituted glycerides Saturated 0 0 Unsaturated 92.7 84.4 (total) Unsaturated 83.4 41.0 (>1) ^(#)starting weight ratio of sunflower oil to hydrogenated soya bean oil O represents oleic acid L represents linoleic acid Le represents linolenic acid P represents palmitic acid S represents stearic acid

OOO indicates the triglyceride having three oleic acid groups; OSP represents the triglyceride having oleic acid, stearic acid and palmitic acid.

MALDI-TOF analysis of the Interesterified oil 1 shows that the triglycerides having more than one ethylenic unsaturation reduces from approximately 83% to 41% by weight.

MACROMONOMER EXAMPLE MM 1

The macromonomer MM 1 was prepared according to the method described below and using the ingredients listed.

g Transesterified oil TO 1 450.00 Maleic anhydride 78.59 Iodine 0.69 Phenothiazine 1.98 Hydroxy ethyl methacrylate 52.56 Glycerol 13.48

450gms of the transesterified oil together with 78.59 gms of maleic anhydride and a few drops of xylene where charged to a 1000 ml 3-necked round bottomed flask. Also fitted to the flask was a nitrogen inlet designed to give a slight positive pressure to the system in order to maintain a nitrogen blanket. A thermocouple, mechanical stirrer and condenser were also fitted to the flask. The reactor contents were heated under stirring at 150 rpm to 100° C. at which point 0.69 g solid iodine was added. The reaction was stirred at 100° C. for 10 minutes after which the temperature was increased to 200° C. Once at 200° C. the reaction was maintained at this temperature for 30 minutes. After this time the reaction temperature was increased to 220° C. and held there for 4 hours after which it was cooled back to 200° C. Once at 200° C., 1.98 gms of phenothiazine was added. This was allowed to mix for 5 minutes after which 52.56 gms of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was added from a dropping funnel over a 30 minute period. After the HEMA addition had been completed the reaction was held at 200 C for 60 minutes. After the 60 minute hold 13.48 gms of glycerol (pre-warmed to 50° C.) was added to the reaction in a single shot. The reaction was again held at 200° C. for a period of 60 minutes. The reaction was then allowed to cool to 50° C. at which point the resultant macromonomer was poured into 2×500 ml jars containing a small quantity of molecular sieve.

Transesterified Oil TO 2

A mixture of Sunflower oil and hydrogenated Soya wax was transesterified according to the method of TO 1. The only difference was the weight ratio of the Sunflower oil to Soya wax was 70:30.

The triglyceride composition is shown in Table 1.

MACROMONOMER EXAMPLE MM 2

The macromonomer MM 2 was prepared according to the method described below and using the ingredients listed.

g wt % Transesterified oil TO 2 152.400 75.971 Maleic anhydride 25.590 12.757 Iodine 0.223 0.111 Phenothiazine 0.300 0.150 Hydroxy ethyl methacrylate 16.981 8.465 Glycerol 4.806 2.396 Hydroquinone 0.300 0.150

To a 700 ml round bottomed flask fitted with a water cooled condenser, means to provide a nitrogen blanket and an anchor stirrer operating at 75 rpm was added the 152.400 g interesterified oil and 25.590 g maleic anhydride. The mixture was heated to 100° C. and 0.223 g iodine was added. The temperature was raised to 200° C. and held there for 30 minutes and then increased to 220° C. After 5 hours and thirty minutes it was cooled to room temperature. The resulting mixture described above was heated to 100° C. and 0.300 g phenothiazine was added. The mixture was then heated to 200° C. and the 16.981 g Hydroxyethylmethacrylate was fed in via a dropping funnel over 15 minutes. The mixture was held for 1 hour at 200° C. 4.806 g glycerol was added as a shot and then the mixture held for 1 hour to give the final macromonomer. The macromonomer was then cooled back to approximately 170° C. and 0.300 g hydroquinone added. Cooling was continued to approximately 70° C. and the macromonomer was filtered through lambswool.

LATEX EXAMPLE

Latex 1

A latex was made using the following ingredients and procedure

g wt % Prefeed reductant shot Sodium Ascorbate/1 0.416 0.038 Demin Water/1 1.651 0.150 Monomer Premix MM 2 122.959 11.178 Styrene 248.545 22.595 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate 120.332 10.939 Ammonia (25% solution) 7.659 0.696 Surfactant solution Demin water/2 521.510 47.410 Disponil A4066 41.285 3.753 Initiator Solution Tertiary butyl hydroperoxide 5.227 0.475 Demin Water/3 9.531 0.866 Reductant Solution 1 Demin water/4 9.531 0.866 Sodium ascorbate/2 0.832 0.076 Reductant Solution 2 Demin water/5 9.531 0.866 Sodium ascorbate/3 0.988 0.090

Prepare 931.672 g of Monomer Pre-emulsion by mixing the indicated weights of macromonomer MM 1, styrene, 2-EHA and adding the ammonia under gentle stirring for about 10 minutes, adding the ammonia dropwise. Add this monomer mixture to the surfactant solution of 521.51 g of Demin/1 and 41.285 g Disponil A4066 under high shear mixing conditions using a Silverson homogeniser to form an emulsion of monomer in water until the mean droplet size is about 150 nm and there are no monomer droplets greater than 2000 nm. This will require about 20 minutes.

Prepare the prefeed reductant shot by dissolving the sodium ascorbate in water.

Prepare the reductant solutions by dissolving the sodium ascorbate in water

Prepare the initiatior solution by dissolving tertiary butyl hydroperoxide in water.

To a 2L parallel sided vessel fitted with a propeller stirrer, condenser and a nitrogen blanket, add 37.567% of the Monomer Pre-emulsion and raise the temperature to 50° C. and add prefeed reductant shot. After 5 minutes at this temperature add 5% of the initiator solution. Hold for 5 minutes and then feed the remainder of the Monomer Pre-emulsion linearly over 90 minutes whilst concurrently feeding Reductant solution 1 over 90 minutes and 85% of initiator solution over 90 minutes. Hold at 50° C. for a further 15 minutes and then add 10% of the initiator solution and hold for 5 minutes. Add reductant solution 2 linearly over 30 minutes. Maintain at 50° C. for 15 minutes and then cool and filter through 80 mesh nylon.

There was very little build-up on the reactor walls or the stirrer and the latex was bit free.

-   The latex constants were -   pH: 7.4 -   weight solids: 47.0% -   Rotothinner- 0.6 poise @ 25° C. -   MFFT was 3.6° C.

PAINT EXAMPLE

Paint 1

A semi-gloss paint was made using Latex 1 and the ingredients listed below.

Mill Base Stage

Load to a Clean Dispersion Vessel

Tap water 10.404 Texanol 1.200 Orotan 731 A 1.850 Dispelair CF 823 0.173

Start disperser on low speed and begin adding pigmentation.

Increase speed as millbase thickens to maintain a good vortex.

China clay supreme 6.000 Tioxide TR92 18.240 Microdol H600 6.000

Run 20 minutes. Check dispersion is less than 20μ.

Then add the other materials adjusting speed as required.

Dispelair CF823 0.173 Product V189 0.020 Tap water 3.000 Aquaflow NHS 300 0.750 Acrysol SCT-275 0.750 SUB-TOTAL 48.560

Run 10 minutes

Cover and allow mill base to cool before making into finished product.

Paint Stage

Load mill base to a clean vessel

Mill base 48.560 Add with stirring Latex 1 50.100

Pre blend

Run 10 minutes Adjust to viscosity with

Tap water 1.340 TOTAL 100.000 Paint Evaluation

The following tests were carried out on Paint 1

Viscosity

13.8 poise measured at 25° C. using a Rotothinner operating at 562 rpm.

-   Cone and plate: 1.6 poise @ 25° C. -   pH -   7.8 

1. A method of making a polymerisable ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer comprising the steps of i) providing a chosen unsaturated non-mineral oil or a mixture of unsaturated non-mineral oils having a first blend of triglycerides; ii) treating the chosen unsaturated non-mineral oil or mixture of unsaturated non-mineral oils with a transesterification catalyst to produce a second blend of triglycerides different from the first blend; iii) reacting the second blend of triglycerides with an enophile having an acid, ester or anhydride moiety to form an adduct; iv) reacting the adduct with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a moiety reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile to form an intermediate; v) reacting the intermediate of step iv) with a chain extender having at least two moieties reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile to form the ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second blend of triglycerides has an iodine value between 30 and
 200. 3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture of unsaturated non-mineral oils is obtained from plant matter.
 4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture of unsaturated non-mineral oils contains at least one oil selected from the group consisting of palm oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, soya bean oil and hydrogenated soya bean oil.
 5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the enophile is selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride, itaconic anhydride, fumaric acid, acrylic acid and maleate esters.
 6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride of the enophile is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl ethyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxyl propyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxyl iso propyl methacrylate, hydroxyl butyl methacrylate, allyl alcohol, glycerol methacrylate, glycidyl (meth)acrylate, allyl amine, and tert-butyl aminoethyl methacrylate.
 7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the chain extender is glycerol.
 8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the molar ratio of non-mineral oil(s):enophile:unsaturated monomer:chain extender is 1:1.5:0.75:0.30.
 9. An ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer being the reaction product of i) an adduct formed from the reaction of an unsaturated non-mineral oil reacted with an enophile having an acid, ester or anhydride moiety; and ii) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a moiety reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile; and iii) a chain extender material having at least two moieties reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile; wherein the unsaturated non-mineral oil is a mixture of triglycerides produced by transesterification.
 10. The ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer according to claim 9 wherein the macromonomer has a weight average molecular weight, Mw, of from 1000 to 50000 Daltons.
 11. An addition polymer derived from a monomer mixture comprising the ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer according to claim
 9. 12. The addition polymer according to claim 11 wherein the polymer is in the form of an aqueous dispersion of polymer microparticles.
 13. The addition polymer according to claim 12 wherein the microparticles have a mean average diameter of from 0.05 microns to 2.00 microns.
 14. The addition polymer according to claim 12 wherein the Tg of the polymer is from −20 to 120° C.
 15. A coating composition comprising the addition polymer of claim
 12. 16. The coating composition according to claim 15, further comprising an ingredient selected from the group consisting of pigments, fillers, waxes, extenders, rheological modifiers, dispersants, anti-foams, tackifiers, plasticisers, flow aids and biocides.
 17. The method according to claim 2 wherein the mixture of unsaturated non-mineral oils is obtained from plant matter.
 18. The method according to claim 3 wherein the mixture of unsaturated non-mineral oils contains at least one oil selected from the group consisting of palm oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, soya bean oil and hydrogenated soya bean oil.
 19. The method according to claim 5 wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride of the enophile is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl ethyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxyl propyl (meth)acrylate, hydroxyl iso propyl methacrylate, hydroxyl butyl methacrylate, allyl alcohol, glycerol methacrylate, glycidyl (meth)acrylate, allyl amine, and tert-butyl aminoethyl methacrylate. 